For Providers

The following four priorities that will help Santa Clara County get to zero are; PrEP and PeP Implementation, Universal, Comprehensive STD Screening and Targeted Testing, Initiation of Care and Retention in Care and Reduction of Stigma.

In 2014, The U.S. Public Health Services released a clinical practice guideline for the use of PrEP for the prevention of HIV in the United States. One main key component, is to share this important information with the Providers, to prescribe PrEP, a relatively new intervention that involves taking one pill a day of antiviral medication (currently a fixed-dose combination of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine [TDF/FTC]). This has been shown to reduce the risk of sexual HIV acquisition in adults, safely and effectively. Hence, this is recommended as an HIV prevention option for sexually active adult MSM, people who inject drugs, transgender women, and heterosexually active men and women who are at substantial risk of HIV infection, including those whose partners are known to have HIV infection (considered “key populations” for PrEP). PrEP strategies build on the long-term strategy of Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP); is intended for emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours of a possible HIV exposure, and continued for 28 days to prevent HIV infection.

What is PREP?

PrEP is short for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis. It means protecting yourself before you come in contact with HIV-1. And continuing to protect yourself by taking the medicine daily and using safer sex practices.

TRUVADA for PrEP™ (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a prescription medicine that can help reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 when taken every day and used together with safer sex practices.

How do patients access?

You can find Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) on PleasePrEPMe.org or preplocator.org. Chat with a PrEP/PEP navigator. Get PrEP or PEP by using our directory to find a friendly provider near you. Protect yourself against HIV.